Chapter 8 No.8

1 Joachim, a rich man,

2 offers to the Lord,

3 is opposed by Reuben the high priest,

because he has not begotten issue in Israel,

6 retires into the wilderness and fasts

forty days and forty nights.

IN the history of the twelve

tribes of Israel we read there

was a certain person called

Joachim, who being very rich, made

double offerings to the Lord God,

having made this resolution:

My substance shall be for the

benefit of the whole people, that

I may find mercy from the Lord

God for the forgiveness of my sins.

2 But at a certain great feast

of the Lord, when the children of

Israel offered their gifts, and

Joachim also offered his, Reuben the

high-priest opposed him, saying,

it is not lawful for thee to offer

thy gifts, seeing thou hast not

begot any issue in Israel.

3 At this, Joachim being

concerned very much, went away to

consult the registries of the twelve

tribes, to see whether he was the

only person who had begot no

issue.

4 But upon inquiry he found

that all the righteous had raised

up seed in Israel;

5 Then he called to mind the

patriarch Abraham, How that God

in the end of his life had given him

his son Isaac; upon which he was

exceedingly distressed, and would

not be seen by his wife:

6 But retired into the wilderness,

and fixed his tent there, and

fasted forty days and forty nights,

saying to himself,

7 I will not go down either to

eat or drink, till the Lord my

God shall look down upon me, but

prayer shall be my meat and drink.